It has been a tumultuous year in South African politics, but we end it in slightly better shape than we started it – with a dangerous president increasingly running out of road, writes Arthur Christopher.

Man accused of Zuma drink spill on bail

POLICE yesterday confirmed that the man who was arrested on charges of common assault after allegedly spilling his drink on President Jacob Zuma at the ­Vodacom Durban July last weekend has appeared in court and was released on bail.

KwaZulu-Natal police director of communications Brigadier Phindile Radebe said she was unable to ascertain on Friday when approached by Weekend Witness if the man, Daryl Peense, had indeed appeared in court.

“I was battling to get information from my higher authorities,” she said. When asked if she could confirm whether the drink contained ice or not, she said the matter is before the court and she cannot therefore divulge the circumstances.

She did not know Peense’s age.

Peense was locked up in the cells at Berea police station after the incident.

He appeared in court on Monday last week and was released on R500 bail, said Radebe.

Racehorse owner Roy Moodley, who witnessed the event, told Weekend Witness that the drink did not contain “solids” and that Zuma was unaware of the incident at the time.

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